11 May 2017

News Story: Pakistan army does not want escalations with Afghanistan - Spokesperson

ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan army said on Wednesday that the country's security forces do not want escalation on the border with Afghanistan, according to local media.

The remarks by army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor came following exchange of fire between Pakistan and Afghan forces along the Chaman border in southwestern Balochsitan province which caused casualties on both sides.

The Pakistan Army had stated earlier that the Afghan Border Police opened fire on Pakistani border forces Frontier Corps (FC) in charge of security of a population census team in Balochistan on Friday.

However, Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal had blamed Pakistan for incursion into the Afghan side of the border.

Both sides later declared ceasefire along the Chaman border, but the border between the countries has been closed since then.